Float-carried pump apparatus



April 23, 1963 LORENZETTI 3,086,472

FLOAT-CARRIED PUMP APPARATUS Filed March 28. 1960 United States Patent 075cc 3,086,472 FLOAT-CARRIED PUMP APPARATUS Lorenzo Lorenzetti, 1230 Av. Pres. Wilson,

Sao Paulo, Brazil F led Mar. 28, 1960, Se'ri No. 17,817 Cla ms priority, application Brazil Mar. 31, 1959 TClflililS. (Cl. 103-87) 7 The present invention relates to float-carried pump apparatus. More particularly, the invention relates to floatcarried apparatus for pumping a body of liquid.

In known arrangements for pumping water from deep wells, large tanks,'a nd the like, a motor-pump arrangement is supportedby float means with the motor-pump apparatus suspended above the water level in thewell by cables or similar means, or the motor-pump apparatus is merely submerged in the water in the well or the like.

In the known arrangement where the motor-pump apparatus is floated above the water level, there is little stability and the apparatus overturns at the slightest turbulence due .to its center of gravity being located above the waterline and of relative height with relation to the float means. In such arrangement, air circulating means in the apparatus is necessary to cool the driving motor and the driving motor is prone to damage by excessive humidity and dampness due to the openings of the air circulating means. In the arrangement where the apparatus is supported above the water-levelby cables or similar means, great damage is done when-the water level in the well rises suddenly and inundates said apparatus. In the arrangement where the motor-pump apparatus is submerged in the water in the well, great damage may be done by sand, mud and/ or like materials in the water.

The apparatus of the present invention avoids the stated disadvantages of the known arrangements.

The principal object of the present invention is to proyide new and improved float-carried pump apparatus.

An object of the present invention is to provide new and improved float-carried pump apparatus of great stability.

Another object of the present invention is to provide new and improved float-carried pump apparatus which is effectively cooled by the liquid which it pumps.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide new and improved float-carried pump apparatus of great efiiciency and reliability in operation.

In accordance with the present invention, apparatus for pumping a body of liquid includes, in combination, pump driving means and float means adapted to float on a body of liquid. The float means carries the driving means with a portion thereof extending beneath the surface of the liquid so that the driving means will be cooled by the pumped liquid While at the same time floating stably thereon.

The novel features which are considered as characteristic for the invention are set forth in particular in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, both as to its construetion and its method of operation, together with additional objects and advantages thereof, will be best understood from the following description of specific embodiments when read in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view, partly in section, of an e bodiment of the apparatus of the present invention;

and

FIG. 2 is a perspective view, partly in section, of a modification of the embodiment of FIG, 1.

Various components are identified in FIG. 2 by the primes of the iefetence numerals assigned to the correspc d n components in IG: 1:

Pump driving mean-s preferably comprises an electric motor 1 enclosed in a waterproof or liquidproof housing 3,086,472 Patented Apr. 23, 1 963 and a shaft 2 driven by said motor and extending therefrom and from the motor housing. In FIG. 1, the shaft 2 is enclosed in an auxiliary waterproof or liquidproof housing 3 extending from the housing of the motor 1, whereas in FIG. 2, the motor 1' and the shaft 2' are enclosed in a single housing. The shaft 2, 2' is coupled to a pump 7, 7' and drives said pump.

The electric motor 1, 1 is energized from a'souree of electrical energy (not shown) by means of electric conductors'10, 10'. The electric conductors 10, 10 may comprise any suitable type having suitable insulation and waterproof coverings thereon. In FIG. 1, the portionof the electrical conductors 10 which is under water is enclosed in a housing in a waterproof or liquidproof housing sleeve 12 extending from the housing of the electric motor 1, whereas in FIG. 2, the portion of said electric conductors 10 under water is enclosed in the housing of the motor 1 and'shaft 2.

A float 6, 6' is adapted to float on the body of water and carries the electric motor 1, 1' with at least a portion of the housing of said motor extending beneath the surface of the water. The float 6, 6' preferably carries the motor 1 completely immersed in the water, that is, completely beneath the surface of the water. The float 6, 6' carries the motor 1, 1' in a manner whereby the shaft 2, 2 of such motor extends substantially vertically toan elevation above the level of the water. Since the float 6, 6' carries the motor 1, 1 beneath the surface of the water, said motor will be cooled by the water and at the same time provides a center of gravity below the water lineand relatively low with relation to said float to insure stability of said float and thereby avoids overheating of the QIQr as well as overturning of the apparatus.

Since the pump 7, 7 is driven by the shaft 2, 2 of the motor 1, 1', said pump is carried by the float 6 above the surface of the water. The pump 7, 7' has an inlet suction tube 8, 8' with an opening in its end. The inlet suction tube 8, 8' of the pump 7, 7- extends beneath the surface of the water with its opening adjacent thehousing of the motor 1, 1-. Since the water pumped by the pump 7, 7 is drawn by said pump through the opening of the inlet suction tube 8, 8' and since said inlet suction tube has its opening adjacent the motor, the water around the motor is circulated and enhances the cooling of said motor during operation. Suitable means, such as, for example, flexible rubber or plastic hose or tubing 9, 9 e011- ples the outletof the pump 7, 7 with a point (not shown) at which the pump water is to be received.

The electrical conductors 10, 10 and the outlet tubing 9, 9 are clamped together by suitable clamping means positioned above the pump 7, 7 and supported 'bythe float 6, 6'. The pump 7, 7' is covered by a waterproef or liqu-idproof cover '11, 11 carriedby the float 6;, 6' to protect the apparatus from splashing water. The motor housing is shown in FIG. 1 as being clamped to the float 6, but may, of course, be carried by said float by any suitable means. The top of the housing of the meter 1 and shaft 2 is provided with a pressure sealing ring 4, shown in FIG. 2. The shaft 2 is supported at the HPPQr end of the auxiliary housing 3, in FIG. 1, and at the upper end of the housing of the motor 1 and shaft 2,, in FIG. 2, by suitable bearing means such as, for example, ball bearings 5, 5.

The float 6, 6' is preferably annular in configuration, having a central axis, and the motor 1, 1, shaft '2, 2 and pump 7, 7' are preferablyeoaxially positioned with said float. The float 6, 6 may comprise a plurality of air or gas chambers, a single air or gas chamber, a plurality of sections of buoyant material, a single mass of buoyant material, or a combination of air or gas chambers" and buoyant material. A preferred embodiment of the float 6, 6' comprises a single annular air or gas chamber.

3 Without further analysis, the foregoing will so fully reveal the gist of the present invention that others can by applying current knowledge readily adapt it for various applications without omitting features that, from the standpoint of prior art, fairly constitute essential charcombination, pump means; a pump motor for driving said pump means; and separate float means adapted to float on the body of liquid, said float means carrying said pump means above the surface of the liquid and carry- :ing said pump motor outside of said float means but within the vertical outline thereof and beneath the surface of the liquid and in direct contact therewith so 'that said driving means will be cooled by the pumped liquid while at the same time floating stably thereon.

2. In an apparatus for pumping a body of liquid, in combination, pump means; pump driving means for driving said pump means, said pump driving means comprising an electric motor having a liquidproof housing and a shaft driven by said motor and extending from said housing, said shaft being adapted to drive said pump means; and separate float means adapted to float on the body of liquid, said float means carrying said pump means above the surface of the liquid and carrying said pump motor outside of said float means but within the vertical outline thereof and beneath the surface of the liquid and in direct contact therewith and with the shaft of said motor extending substantially vertically above the level of the liquid so that said driving means will be cooled by the pumped liquid while at the same time floating stably thereon.

3. In an apparatus for pumping a body of liquid, in combination, pump means; pump driving means for driving said pump means, said pump driving means comprising an electric motor having a liquidproof housing and a shaft driven by said motor and extending from said housing; said shaft having a liquidproof housing and being adapted to drive said pump means; and separate float means adapted to float on the body of liquid, said float means carrying said pump means above the surface of the liquid and carrying said motor outside of said float means but within the vertical outline thereof and beneath the surface of the liquid and in direct contact therewith with the shaft of said motor extending substantially vertically to a distance above the level of the .with an opening in its end; pump driving means for driving said pump means, said pump driving means comprising an electric motor having a liquidproof housing and a shaft driven by said motor and extending from said housing, said shaft having a liquidproof housing and being adapted to drive said pump means; and separate ,float means adapted to float on the body of liquid, said float means carrying said pump means above the surface 'of the liquid and carrying said motor outside of said float means but within the vertical outline thereof and beneath the surface of the liquid with the shaft of said mo- 1 tor extending substantially vertically to a distance above the level of the liquid and in direct contact therewith so that said driving means will be cooled by the pumped -liquid while at the same time floating stably thereon, the

inlet suction tube of said pump extending beneath the surface ofthe liquidwith the opening thereof adjacent ,said motor.

5. In an apparatus for pumping a body of liquid, in combination, pump means; pump driving means for driving said pump means, said pump driving means comprising an electric motor having a liquidproof housing and a shaft driven by said motor and extending from said housing, said shaft being adapted to drive said pump means; and separate substantially annular float means having a central axis and adapted to float on the body of liquid, said float means carrying said pump means above the surface of the liquid and carrying said motor outside of said float means but within the vertical outline thereof beneath the surface of the liquid and in direct contact therewith and with the shaft of said motor extending substantially vertically above the level of the liquid so that said driving means will be cooled by the pumped liquid while at the same time floating stably thereon, said pump means and driving means being coaxially positioned with said float means.

6. In an apparatus for pumping a body of liquid, in combination, pump means having an inlet suction tube with an opening in its end; pump driving means for driving said pump means, said pump driving means comprising an electric motor having a liquidproof housing and a shaft driven by said motor and extending from said housing; said shaft having a liquidproof housing and being adapted to drive said pump means; and separate substantially annular float means having a central axis adpted to float on the body of liquid, said float means carrying said pump means above the surface of the liquid and carrying said motor outside of said float means but within the vertical outline thereof and beneath the surface of the liquid and in direct contact therewith with the shaft of said motor extending substantially vertically to a distance above the level of the liquid so that said driving means will be cooled by the pumped liquid while at the same time floating stably thereon, the inlet suction tube of said pump extending beneath the surface of the liquid with the opening thereof adjacent said motor, said pump means and driving means being coaxially positioned with said float means.

7. In an apparatus for pumping a body of liquid, in

combination, pump means having an inlet suction tube with an opening in its end; pump driving means for driving said pump means, said pump driving means comprising an electric motor having a liquidproof housing and a shaft driven by said motor and extending from said housing; said shaft having a liquidproof housing and being adapted to drive said pump means; separate and substantially annular float means having a central axis adapted to float on the body of liquid, said float means carrying said pump means above the surface of the liquid and carrying said motor outside of said float means but within the vertical outline thereof and beneath the surface of the liquid and in direct contact therewith with the shaft of said motor extending substantially vertically to a distance above the level of the liquid so that said driving means will be cooled by the pumped liquid while at the same time floating stably thereon, the inlet suction tube of said pump extending beneath the surface of the liquid with the opening thereof adjacent said motor, said pump means and driving means being coaxially positioned with said float means; and liquidproof cover means carried by said float means and covering said pump means.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,920,371 Franke Aug. 1, 1933 2,885,964 Lung May 12, 1959 FOREIGN PATENTS 126,859 Austria Feb. 25, 1932 188,221 Austria Jan. 10, 1957 552,117 Germany Apr. 19, 1931 952,812 France Nov. 24, 1949 

1. IN AN APPARATUS FOR PUMPING A BODY OF LIQUID, IN COMBINATION, PUMP MEANS; A PUMP MOTOR FOR DRIVING SAID PUMNP MEANS; AND SEPARATE FLOAT MEANS ADAPTED TO FLOAT ON THE BODY OF LIQUID, SAID FLOAT MEANS CARRYING SAID PUMP MEANS ABOVE THE SURFACE OF THE LIQUID AND CARRYING SAID PUMP MOTOR OUTSIDE OF SAID FLOAT MEANS BUT WITHIN THE VERTICAL OUTLINE THEREOF AND BENEATH THE SURFACE OF THE LIQUID AND IN DIRECT CONTACT THEREWITH SO THAT SAID DRIVING MEANS WILL BE COOLED BY THE PUMPED LIQUID WHILE AT THE SAME TIME FLOATING STABLY THEREON. 